Two departments over budget

Five months into the fiscal year, officials in Mt. Pleasant said that two city departments are over budget, but they're hoping time will even things out.

Five months into the fiscal year, officials in Mt. Pleasant said that two city departments are over budget, but they’re hoping time will even things out.

In her monthly report to the city commission Tuesday, Finance Officer Debbie McMullin said departments should be at just under 42 percent of their annual budget at this point in the fiscal year.

The administration department has spent nearly $160,000 — 43.59 percent — of its $360,000 annual budget. The police department has spent $484,000 — 47.51 percent — of the $1 million it was allocated for the year.

City Manager Michelle Williams said it’s not entirely clear why the city administration and police departments are over budget this month, but an additional pay period in November and police training in Nashville might have played a part in the overages.

Mt. Pleasant Police officials reported that for the past 10 weeks, two officers have been attending the training, which is scheduled to wrap up Thursday. As a result, Williams said the police department has been forced to up its overtime to fill their shifts.

“We sort of knew through November and December, with officers taking their vacation time, the overtime was going to spike up a little bit,” Williams said Wednesday. “We are really looking for it to get back in line come beginning of the year.”

Also Tuesday:

? the commission named John Michael Irwin of Mac’s Service Station the January 2013 Citizen of the Month;

? Mayor Maury Colvett reappointed John Gibson to the Board of Zoning Appeals;

? Williams reported that paving on Zion Road has been completed, and a new fire truck — approved by the commission earlier this year — has arrived.